Catching

1. CATCHER'S EQUIPMENT

Equipment is more important to a catcher than to any other position in softball. Not only should the catcher’s equipment fit properly but it should be checked often to make sure it’s in good condition.

Chest Protector
This is the padded protective device that the catcher wears on his/her chest to protect them from foul balls to the chest. It should be worn snug but not too tight or it will prevent the catcher from being able to throw properly.

Shin Guards
These help protect the catcher from foul balls and thrown balls in the dirt, and also from the cleats of runners sliding into home plate. The shin guards go on the front of the catcher’s lower legs and fasten on the outside of the legs to prevent the straps from tangling when the catcher is running or blocking balls.

Helmet
ISF rules state that all catchers must wear a protective helmet (or skull cap) in addition to a catching mask. This skull cap, or full hockey-type protective mask is to protect the catcher’s skull from any foul balls or stray swings. The catcher’s skull cap differs from a batting helmet because the skull cap does not have ear flaps. It’s designed to protect only the skull and not to cover the ears.

Mask
It’s VERY important that the catcher’s mask fit properly and also that it has a throat protector. The mask should be snug enough that when the catcher moves his/her head the mask stays in place and doesn’t move around the catcher’s face. The mask should also be worn whenever a player is warming up a pitcher either in a game or in practice.

2. GIVING SIGNALS

The catcher should be in the squatting position with his/her heels off the ground and the weight on the balls of his/her feet. The glove hand should be outside of the glove side leg and down by that side foot to block out the third base coach from trying to steal the signals. The catcher’s legs should be wide enough so he/she can flash signals to the pitcher, with the right knee pointed toward second base to block out the first base coach from stealing the signals. The catcher should give the signals deep in the crotch area, making sure that the pitcher is able to clearly see the signal, and without letting either opposing coach at 1st or 3rd base see. When giving the pitcher a signal, the catcher should also try to keep his/her fingers from dropping below their legs, which makes it easier for the opposing team to see the signals.

Photo by f:11 photographic design

3. RECEIVING POSITIONS

After the catcher gives the pitcher the signal he/she shifts into the receiving position ready to catch the pitched ball. To do this, the catcher will put his/her weight on the inside portion of his/her feet, the knees should be slightly pointed toward each other, the back should be slightly arched, the glove hand should be relaxed pointing downward and then come back up quickly to the receiving position as the ball arrives. (Allowing the glove to relax slightly in a downward position helps the catcher relax his/her wrist giving them much faster reactions to the pitched ball.) Also, by keeping the glove hand loose the catcher is able to react quicker to balls in the dirt.

As the ball enters the catcher’s glove he/she should receive the ball with a relaxed hand and try and keep the strikes in the strike zone by boxing or framing them. If the ball is inside or outside, sway your hips in the direction of the pitch. This will allow the catcher to get his/her body behind the pitch and give the umpire a better look at borderline pitches. The catchers shouldn’t try and make balls strikes – doing so won’t fool the good umpires and it will usually lose strikes for your pitcher.